Panthers-Canadiens: Utter Embarrassment For The Habs

Montreal Canadiens fans can pretty much consider any hopes of acquiring Jay Bouwmeester from the Florida Panthers a dead deal.

After tonight's humiliating 5-1 defeat, who on the Canadiens roster would the Panthers have any interest in exchange for the All-Star defenceman?

The Panthers outskated the Canadiens and clearly showed that they were the hungrier team tonight.

Bouwmeester opened the scoring in the first, on the power-play, finding the rebound at 3:54. A second Panthers power-play found Stephen Weiss with the rebound in front of a crowded Canadiens net at 14:52.

The Canadiens would pull within one in the second period. Robert Lang would cash in a power-play opportunity within the first minute. After that, it was all Florida.

Former Canadien Richard Zednik would take a pass off the boards behind the Canadiens defence, make a sharp cut in front of goaltender Carey Price, and slide it in at 14:44.

With the game already out of reach, Radek Dvorak would earn, and score on a penalty shot after being hooked by Andrei Markov.

Michael Frolik would put more salt on the wound after beating two Canadiens defenders to make it 5-1.

Price and Panthers goaltender Tomas Vokoun each faced 36 shots, though Vokoun's night was much easier.

Though clearly not his best game, Price continued to fight the entire 60 minutes. It was something his teammates did not do, leaving Price to fend for himself on many occasions.

"It's a tough game to swallow," Price said after the game. "You go from having the best time of your life to having the (expletive) worse time of your life." (Referring to going from an eventful All-Star Weekend, to two tough losses in the Sunshine State.)

"I thought we were ready to play. We had a good practice this morning and everybody was up for the game," said Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau.

"When we face adversity, we seem to go the other way instead of battling back," he added.

"We have to find that desperation back in our game," said Canadiens defenceman Mike Komisarek.

"We lost two games before the trip, we lost two games after the break and we need that one shift, that one period, one game to sort of get us back on track."

When asked about concerns on the Canadiens current play, Komisarek replied, "It's amazing how winning solves everything."

Hopefully the Canadiens can get that win in one, or two afternoon games this weekend.

The Los Angeles Kings roll into the Bell Centre on Saturday followed by the Eastern Conference leading Boston Bruins on Super Bowl Sunday.